Peppery Polenta Porridge
- Polenta Porridge
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup cooked polenta, see below
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar
- 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos (or less - to taste)
- 2 tablespoons torn cilantro
- Oven-Baked Polenta
- 6 cups water, milk or broth (or a combination)
- 1 cup coarse-ground polenta meal
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, optional
- 2 ounces butter, optional
- You will need an immersion blender (better) or whisk (ok, but more work). Use a small saucepan if you're using the immersion blender or a small skillet if you're using a whisk.
- Bring the water to a boil and add the polenta. Smush it around with a rubber spatula to break up the polenta Using the blender or the whisk, blend the polenta into the water until it softens and smooths out.
- Stir in the shredded cheese, jalapenos and cilantro, holding a little of each back for garnish. When the cheese has melted, pour into a bowl, top with the garnishes and eat. Add additional hot sauce if you're like me.
- Preheat the oven to 375. Pour the liquid, polenta, olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt into a 9x13 baking dish (like a brownie pan). Using a heatproof rubber spatula stir all the ingredients together.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Over the cooking time, you'll see the mixture turn from a cornmeal slurry to a smoother consistency. The oil will float across the surface until about halfway through the cooking time. BE CAREFUL, hot polenta is like lava: it'll splash when you don't expect it to and it will stick to you if you splash it on to yourself.
- After about 45 minutes, the polenta should be smooth and thick. if it's too thick for your taste, whisk in a little more liquid. Whisk in the optional cheese and butter if you wish. Taste for seasoning (careful - hot stuff!) and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately for soft polenta or pour into a greased loaf pan to mold for slicing later.
polenta, water, polenta, cheddar, pickled jalapenos, torn cilantro, polenta, water, coarseground polenta meal, olive oil, salt, parmesan cheese, butter
Taken from food52.com/recipes/3132-peppery-polenta-porridge (may not work)